Adams County was established on July 10, 1797. Carved out of the Old Northwest, it is the third-oldest county in Ohio, predating the state by more than five years. The county's southern boundary is the Ohio River, once a vital component in the commerce and growth of the county. When the first explorers and settlers came here, prehistoric earthworks dotted the landscape. The most significant, the Great Serpent Mound, is preserved today in a public park. In antebellum days, the county was a hotbed of abolitionist activities with several "stations" organized on the Underground Railroad. During the Civil War, Confederate General John H. Morgan and his raiders passed through the county taking horses, food, and anything they liked. The vintage views in this book that help tell the story of the county come from the collections of the Adams County Historical Society, the Adams County Genealogical Society, and several private sources.
Stephen Kelley has been researching and writing about Adams County's heritage for the past 40 years, including penning a history column for The People's Defender since January of 1981. He has served as president of the Adams County Historical Society for 20 years and is an amateur archaeologist.